A Basildon man bit his girlfriend's ear and knocked her unconscious with a bottle of vodka before killing her cat, a court heard.

Khalil Laamri, 28, has been charged with five offences that allegedly took place during his relationship with Laura Kelly, aged 22.

He appeared before Basildon Crown Court yesterday (Thursday, October 5).

Laamri is accused of assault causing actual bodily harm and the destroying of property over the weekend of April 15 and 16, this year.

The court heard how Miss Kelly was pushed out of the front door of their flat by Laamri, causing her to sustain a knee injury, and how he grabbed her by the throat, in the afternoon of April 15

Later that night, the pair went to a nightclub in Basildon where their arguments escalated. Laamri is alleged to have bitten Miss Kelly’s ear after becoming jealous of her looking at other men.

The jury then heard how the pair went their separate ways from the club and when they returned home the arguments continued into the early hours of the morning.

Miss Kelly suffered injuries, allegedly caused by Laamri, who is accused of grabbing her by the throat, dragging her by the hair, punching the side of her head and hitting her with a vodka bottle, knocking her unconscious.

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Mr Laamri has also been charged with an assault on Miss Kelly that happened a week before. He has been accused of punching the alleged victim, before pinning her on the bed with his knee and spitting on her face and in her mouth.

Laamri said: “I have never put my hands on her. I have pushed her away from me when she comes charging at me and gets angry.”

He has also been charged with two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour, which caused a change in Miss Kelly’s personality according to Mr Coates.

In his closing statement, he said: “Before the relationship, Miss Kelly was confident, happy and outgoing. The change in that personality was caused by one person and that person is the defendant in this case.

“She became that sort of person because of the controlling and abusive behaviour demonstrated towards her by the defendant.”

Earlier, Whilst being questioned by Mr Coates, Laamri told the jury that it was Miss Kelly who made up the rules for him and that he “loved her and treated her like a Queen”.

Defence barrister, Eleazar Anyene was due to make his closing statement on behalf of Mr Laamri this morning.